The Clock People
by WizardingMockingjayWithABox
Summary: Zoe Johannson lived a human life for thirteen years, but she was never normal. She watches clocks. No one knows why, but Zoe feels obligated to make sure that time never breaks. She always feels alone. I promise it won't be Sue-istic. I swear! I don't want to say more in case the plot is ruined. Just click. Please click. You won't be disappointed. See that title? Click it.
1. Prologue

**~So, my friend had this idea, (she has a lot of ideas) about... well, I don't want to spoil the story before it's even written, so let's just say that it was a really good idea. We're sort of co-writing it, actually, because she can't get a Fanfiction account, and _that's_ a long story. So, you know, yeah, I don't own Doctor Who, because if I did, I'd be BBC. I'm going to shut up now, so that you can start reading the story. :D~**

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

"What is the theory of why the Emperor Nero went insane?"

"Hmmm?" Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

"Zoe."

"_What?_" Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

"What is the theory of why the Emperor Nero went insane?" Mrs. Draco-Caput was standing right in front of my desk, wielding her famous meter stick. She slammed it on my desk. "Well?"

"He had lead on his plates, so he got lead poisoning." I turned back to the clock. It's very important that I watch the clocks. Otherwise something might go wrong. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

"Why did he have lead on his plates?" She asked impatiently.

"I don't know, why don't you ask him?" I asked. "I'm sure you'll see him when you die and go to..." I looked up into her face. "Nevermind." I said quickly.

* * *

"After-school detention? _Again_?" My mom said as I got into the car.

I shrugged and looked at the clock on the dashboard.

"Hey, missy, I am _talking_ to you!" She said angrily. "What were you in detention for _this _time?"

"I told Mrs. Draco-Caput to go ask Nero."

"Who's Nero?"

"A Roman emperor. She asked me why Nero had lead on his plates, and I told her to ask him when she died and got to... a place." I said, staring at the clock. My mom followed my line of vision and saw that I was staring at the clock again.

"Honey, you know what the therapist said about the clocks." She said. "You don't need to watch them." She didn't get it. I needed to watch the clocks. If I didn't watch the clocks, then they might break. I looked at the dashboard.

"Honey?" I ignored her. "Zoe, baby, answer me." I didn't. She sighed and started the car.

* * *

The office building was right across the street from my house, and mom made me go after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I walked into the therapist's office, nervously fingering my pocket watch. It was more of a necklace, really. The chain was very long, so long that the pocket watch bounced around on my stomach. It was beautiful. It was dark gray, with circular engravings on one side. I've had it since I was a baby, at the orphanage. _Don't think about the orphanage-_ but it was too late. I could already feel myself drifting into unconsciousness.

_There is a shabby office, with stained white walls, a desk, and a woman with flyaway white hair sitting behind it. She is showing another woman of about twenty five pictures of small children. She pulls out a picture of a baby in threadbare pink blankets. The young woman asks about the baby._

_"She was found on the edge of the woods."_

_She gasps. "How terrible!"_

_"Yes, I know. She had no blankets or anything. Made a huge racket."_

_"How could someone just _leave_ her like that?"_

_"I don't know. All she had were some tattered clothes and a little pocket watch. Doesn't even open."_

_"That's awful. Can I see her?"_

_The woman disappears for a moment and walks back in with the same baby. She hands the baby to the woman._

_"She's beautiful. I think she's the one." _

_"Okay, you'll need to sign these..."_

I woke up on the therapist's couch, the bright fluorescent light stinging just behind my eyes. "Wha-what happened?" My eyes fluttered open. The therapist, a dark-skinned bespectacled man with a calming voice like Morgan Freeman's peered over me.

"Are you okay, Zoe?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little-" I sat up. "Dizzy." I said breathlessly, laying back down again.

"That's alright, take it easy. Now, how are we doing today?" He clicked his pen.

"Pretty good, so far." I glanced at the corner where Dr. Mittman usually kept his clock. It wasn't there. _This isn't good. This is not good._

"Dr. Mittman?"

"Yes, Zoe?"

"Where's your clock?"

"I took it down." He looked at me curiously.

"What for?" _Just like I thought_.

"So that you could focus on me. Now, tell me. How are we? Really?"

"I told you. I'm fine." Why did he have to ask such stupid questions? I need to find the clock and make sure that it isn't broken.

"How was school today? What happened?"

"Nothing, really."

"You haven't been having any issues? Teacher issues?" I felt a surge of anger. So my mom told him what happened.

"Yeah. Mrs. Draco-Caput gave me detention."

"Why did she give you detention?" _I've been through this enough times today, _I thought.

"You know, I've got a lot of homework, and I'm tired. Can we cut this meeting short?" I asked, striding towards the door. Without waiting for an answer, I opened the door and left.

* * *

I laid on my bed, staring at the clock on my bedroom wall. _Stupid Dr. Mittman. _Tick.

_Stupid mom. _Tock.

_Stupid Mrs. Draco-Caput. _Tick.

_Nobody understands._ Tock.

_Why me?_ Tick.

_Why clocks? _Tock.

_They just don't get it. _Tick.

_I need to watch them._ Tock.

_...Need to watch them._ Tick.

_...Need...to...watch...them..._Tock.

I fell asleep.

* * *

I got up at about eight the next morning; It was Saturday. I went out into the dining room, poured myself some cereal and plopped right in front of the clock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock...

"Good morning, sweetie." My mom's brown hair was currently protruding about six inches off of her head. She was wearing her bathrobe over her pajamas. I could hear her slippers softly scraping the floor. I tried not to scream at her. Instead I turned my attention to the clock.

"Watching clocks? Honey, you know what the therapist said." She rubbed her eyes.

I ignored her. I could feel my face flushing with anger. _The therapist. Watching clocks. _Doesn't she ever think of _anything_ else?

"You don't need to watch the clocks. You've only been alive thirteen years. Nobody watched the clocks before then, and they were fine."

"No, mom. People _did_ watch the clocks before me, but now they're gone."

"Who watched the clocks before you?" She looked positively baffled.

I thought for a minute. "The Clock People."

**~Dun, dun, duuuuuuun... Can you guess who the clock people are? I'm truly excited about this now; this is going to be AWESOME! XD So please review, favorite, and follow! Thanks and bye! XD~**


	2. Author Note

**~Yeah, I know I'm not supposed to make chapters that are just author notes, but whatever. I'm fresh out of ideas! I've got a poll up on my profile asking what I should do next. Go visit it! In case you're wondering how to get to my profile, you go up to the title at the top of this page. See it? Now, right below it, it sould say: "Author: WizardingMockingjayWithABox" So click on my pen name; it should be blue. Once you click on it, it will take you to another page. On the top, it will say my pen name, right below that, it will say: " Poll: What should I do with "The Clock People"? Vote Now!" Click on the underlined "Vote Now!" and a little thing should drop down and then you can go ahead and pick whichever you prefer. On the last one, it will say: "I have another idea (PM me the idea if you pick this or leave a review about it on "The Clock People")" If you pick that one, then you can click on the little envelope below the drop-down thing. Or, you can just leave a review to this chapter describing your idea. All ideas are welome! Thanks for your precious time. XD~**


	3. Disappointment

**~Sorry for the long wait! I've been trying to decide on how exactly this story was going to go, and I had homework and my family's getting ready to move, and I know it's really short, but I will definitely update sooner this time.~**

The Doctor couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that the TARDIS had detected Timelord DNA. He could hear his two hearts beating furiously. He thought in his head: Is it Koschei? He almost didn't want to believe it, in case if he was disappointed.

The TARDIS had landed, with its amazing wheezing noise. He purposely left the brakes on, just to hear it. It was one of his favorite sounds in all of time and space. He rushed outside, excited, despite himself. The last time he met the Master, he had had a thing about eating people. The Doctor knew he shouldn't hope to find someone who causes so much violence. B_ut, I mean, he's the last one, besides me! It's okay if I feel happy, right? H_e wasn't sure.

He looked around, and saw a middle school across the street. The parking lot was empty; it was clearly the weekend. _Why would the Master be at a school?_ He thought. _Oh, well. I'd just have to wait, and see if anything interesting happens. It doesn't seem like anything interesting is going to happen in this little place, but… how did that saying go? Good things go to the people who wait? Something like that. _He trudged back into the TARDIS. _The school. It's got something to do with The Master. Maybe he's become a teacher! _The Doctor exclaimed in his head. _I need to be a teacher. _He resolved. _But how to become a teacher?_

He began making a plan.

* * *

I fiddled with my pocket watch. For the millionth time, I tried to open it. No luck. Again, I looked at the crevice where the clock is supposed to open. Nothing. I took a deep breath. I was going to get this watch open.

I went to the kitchen and rummaged through the junk drawer. I pulled out a small screw driver and tried to pry open the watch. My screwdriver slipped and stabbed me in the hand. "Ah!" That hurt. But the damage wasn't too bad, so I tried again. The screwdriver slid inside the pocket watch about a millimeter. I got excited. I delved even further, and then the screwdriver got really hot. I gritted my teeth and pressed on, and then the screwdriver got really, _really_ hot. It started to burn. A lot. I let go immediately, nursing my burnt hand. I walked over to the freezer and picked up and ice cube, trying not to cry with disappointment. But, really, what was I expecting?

**~Yeah, it's pretty short. But I know what I'm going to do now, so I can update sooner this time. So, review, favorite, and follow, and I will hopefully be back in a week or so. :D~**


	4. An Antique Collector

I walked into school two days later, expecting to have another rough and tiring day like I normally do every day at school.

And it was completely boring and stupid and pointless, up until eighth period. I had been expecting to see Mrs. Draco-Caput standing by the whiteboard like she does every day, twiddling her meter stick. But instead I saw a man in a brown tweed jacket wearing suspenders, a button-down shirt, and a bow tie. A fez sat on Mrs. Draco-Caput's desk. I sat down at a desk, wondering if this new teacher was going to check the seating chart. My pocket watch banged on the desk.

The teacher glanced at me, then my pocket watch, and then back at me. He widened his eyes and then looked out the window like nothing had happened. I looked at the clock.

* * *

I think I can say that I had never had a history class quite like this one. First, the teacher introduced himself as Mr. Smith. Jessica Parker asked him: "Where's Ms. Draco-Caput?" with a sneer. He replied "Oh, yes. She's um… won the lottery!" And then he opened the textbook to the page that we were supposed to have read the week before and said "This book is so wrong, the Centurions didn't look like that! My dear friend, Rory the Roman, as I like to call him, was a plastic Centurion for a while and he did NOT dress like that! The armor is all wrong!" Everyone in the class looked alarmed. "Ugh, this book disgusts me! Everyone, close your books! I'm going to tell you about _real _history, not this worthless rubbish from the textbook." He went into a full explanation about the cavemen and their struggle with fire. "I remember Za, a nasty young man. He accused Kal of not sharing the secret of making fire with his tribe! And then my good friend Ian showed Za how to make fire, and then Za trapped us, killed Kal, and we had to escape by putting skulls on top of torches! It was quite gruesome." The class was now looking at Mr. Smith as if he were a bit crazy. He seemed to sense this and he said: "And the moral of the story is…?" He asked us. Nobody answered back. "Don't mess with a caveman's fire." And then he started talking about the Aztecs and how his other friend, Barbara, was mistaken for the goddess Yetaxa, and how he accidentally got engaged to a young Aztec woman by sharing hot chocolate with her. He had just started talking about the time that Napoleon's wife painted a naked portrait of him and how Napoleon threw a bottle of wine at his head, when the bell rang. Everyone ran out of the classroom hurriedly, chatting animatedly about the "crazy" sub. I collected my books slowly, not really caring as to what time I got home from school. I was halfway to the door when Mr. Smith said "Hold on, I need to ask you about something." I walked to the desk. "What's your name?"

"Zoe Johannson." I said.

"Can I ask you about that fob watch hanging 'round your neck?" He asked inquisitively.

"What about it?" I inquired suspiciously.

"Does it open?" I felt all color drain from my face. How did he know about the watch?

"No. And my mom's going to worry about me if I show up at home late." I said, anxious to leave.

"Oh, yes of course. But I was wondering, could I examine that at my house?" I gave him a bewildered look. "I'm a crazed old… antique collector." I looked at him some more. "I'll bring it back tomorrow." He added.

"Well, okay." I said, exasperated. I doubted that he would steal an old pocket watch that doesn't open anyways.

**~Dun, Dun, DUUUUUUUUUUUN. :D I'm super excited about this now! You guys are going to LOVE it! (I hope. :S) Sorry for the long wait, I've had a lot of homework lately and I just haven't really had that much inspiration :/. But now I know what I'm going to do so I will probably update in a more timely fashion. :3 Now, if you could be totally awesome and review, follow, favorite, whatever, I'd be the happiest person in all of time and space! XD~**


	5. Dreaming the Truth

The Doctor ran straight out of the school as soon as Zoe had left. He pushed the TARDIS door open and inserted the fob watch into the TARDIS's scanner. Then he waited with immense anxiousness. He could barely contain himself! He had found another timelord! He wondered who the Timelord was. He was sure that she was a girl, not a woman, and he knew that when she was Zoe Johannson that the timelords part of her hadn't matured. And he also knew, from the time that he had spent as John Smith when the Family of Blood had been hunting him that she would have all of her human memories, so he would know if the fob watch had been opened before. And she would have her timelord memories. So, assuming that she would talk to him, he could find out what had happened to her, and who she was.

The TARDIS clicked, signaling that the scan was completed.

The fob watch did indeed contain the spirit of a timelords, but the outside of the watch was made of... dalekanium? The dalek bumps to be exact. It looked like Dalek bumps were shaped into a fob watch, sliced in half, hollowed out, and got hinges and a spring stuck on. And then the Doctor saw something very, very curious.

The watch was welded shut, except for a tiny pinprick.

You wouldn't have been able to tell it from the outside, but someone had welded the watch shut shortly after crafting it. He assumed that the tiny pinprick left over was there so that the timelord energy inside would still be able to "breathe." He wondered if that pinprick would have been enough room for the timelord energy to seep out. He shut that thought out of his mind. No. He needed to be happy. For now at least.

And there was a new challenge for him. How could he open the watch?

This was a job for Sexy. This was a job for the TARDIS.

* * *

That night, I had a dream.

I was amongst a crowd of regal-looking men and women. They all gazed anxiously at the blood-red sky, but I was looking at the men and women themselves. They wore high-collared crimson cloaks. Their faces were old and withered, but they held such an air of grace that they almost seemed royal. Like they were the only ones born to rule, and that only they should carry the burden that came with ruling. Like they deserved to rule, and only them. They held themselves like kings and queens surveying their court, however, deep in their eyes, a spark of fear flickered. A tiny spark existed, barely detectable, but as their attackers flew towards them, that spark became a wildfire, and the timelords broke into a mob.

Their attackers looked like salt shakers. Their arms were odd too; one resembled a plunger, the other like a whisk. But as they landed, the "plungers" sucked the timelords' faces off, the whisks emitting electric bolts, all the while screeching: "EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!" over and over again.

I chose that moment to run.

I rushed underneath a bush, carefully concealing myself, trying not to hear the timelords' screams. I crouched, tears streaming down my cheeks. And then I saw golden hemispheres inlaid into bronze plating by my knees. I looked up.

"You have been captured. Come with me or you shall be exterminated." The Dalek said in a monotone.

* * *

**~Good thing it was just a dream... :S. So... what do you think? I guess I did take a while, but my family JUST got moved, so at least I have an excuse this time. ^-^ **

**Do you guys think I should do a sequel or should I just leave it? I don't know... It depends on how this story goes, as far as reviews and favorites/ follows go.**

**Don't be shy! Review, it helps me become a better writer, you know? And favoriting/ following wouldn't hurt either. :3 And a big thank you to all of my reviewers, favoriters, and followers! You guys are the bestest! *u***


	6. Back to Reality

**~ Sorry, I know this is like, three weeks overdue. I should have posted a _long_ time ago. That's why it's extra long! (1,011 words :D) I'm kind of proud of myself for writing that much. Just sayin'. :3~**

I looked around at my-Zoe's belongings. It was odd, being me again. Like I was supposed the person I had been, back before I became Zoe, but I had forgotten how to be that person. And it was no good trying to be Zoe, I wasn't her either. I had all her memories, though. But did it matter? I was me, right there, right then. And right there, right then, I needed to find the Doctor. I needed to find my father.

* * *

The TARDIS had opened her fob watch! The Doctor was ecstatic; whoever Zoe Johannson was, she would be looking for him. And now, all he needed was for her to tell him about herself. Her story. And more importantly, he needed her to go with him.

Traveling by himself, the Doctor was so sad. He hated himself. He thought of all the times he should've saved his companions. He thought about where he'd landed them. None of that would have happened if they hadn't met him. It was all his fault. He was so, so selfish. He needed to have someone to watch him be amazing. He needed someone to listen to him be clever. And that someone always, always ended up getting hurt. But now, all he needed was someone to distract him from his past, and not end up getting hurt. And who could refrain from getting hurt like a Time Lord?

* * *

I quickly got dressed, jeans and a red tank top, topped with a leather jachet from the back of her closet. She-Zoe- had some very nice knee-length red Converse as well. They took awhile to lace up, but I had time. I had all the time in the world. I was a Time Lord, after all. Time was not the boss of me. I was the boss of it.

I sneaked carefully through her house, leaving through the front door quietly. I wondered how her parents would react. I supposed that they wouldn't be happy at all, finding out that their daughter, the one who actually doesn't exist, was gone. I bit my lip. Should I make them forget? Would that be the less cruel option? But, I didn't really know how to do that, yet. I was still a Time Lord in training. I went to the Gallifreyan Institute for the Children of Time. I wasn't due to learn that for another four years!

Basically, here was how the Time Lord schools worked. There were five grades, and every single grade had one sole purpose. First, the children would go to the Opening, at about the age of ten years. That was like kindergarten. They learned how to interact with the other Time Lords. Then, after two years, they would go to the next grade, the Following, where the kids would learn the basics of how time worked, how Time Lords knew time, Time Lord culture, what paradoxes were, and so on. After those two years, there would be Med school, not medical school, med school, as in median. There, we would learn about how to avoid paradoxes, how to oversee time basically. I was in Med school when the Daleks came. I think that's why Zoe was always watching Clocks. I supposed I was an avid student, even as a human. Then, there was Tet, a one-year course in which the students would learn about other races, other cultures, etcetera. I wasn't looking forward to it, it sounded rather boring. It seemed like a waste of time, frankly. And then finally, the last grade was Concluss, three years where we'd learn all the good stuff. How to fly the TARDIS', how to take away memories, and all the interesting things. Then we would graduate, and go to the Choosing, where we'd choose our names. I had wanted to just skip Med and Tet, but the principal, Alpha, was like: "No, young Time Lady. You must be patient." How freaking stupid was that?! I had been patient, but then there was the Time War, and well, as Sweet Brown said it, "Ain't nobody got time fo' dat." Too late, though. Besides, when I found my dad, he could teach me. _If_ I found him.

Still, I had instincts. I walked up the street, going where my gut told me, and I was in front of Zoe's school. I wondered what the TARDIS would look like. I knew who my dad was, though. Mr. Smith, I could figure that out easily enough. Just from Zoe's history lesson, I could tell that he was a time traveler.

I turned a full circle, not finding any clues whatsoever. Then I looked up into the cloudy sky, my face shrouded in mist. I could see it, very faintly, but I there was a square, a dark blue square poking out of the gray cumuli. I knew that that must have been the TARDIS. Why else there be a square in the middle of the sky? I didn't understand why it was in the sky of all places, but that's me for ya. Don't think about why something shouldn't be, 'cause that's not gonna change a thing.

There had to be a way to get up there, though. A sly smile came to my lips. I threw my hands up in the air. I do that sometimes. I said "Aaaaayo. Gotta leeeet go." Just kidding. I didn't do that. I'm not Taio Cruz. But I did move underneath the blue square and reached through the fog. My dad had to get up somehow. Lo and behold, a sleek metal rung was in my hand and I pulled it down, beginning to climb.

* * *

_This is a long climb._ I thought. I'd already tripped on my Converse shoelaces twice. But finally, the ladder ended, and then I saw a winding staircase. A really_ tall_ winding staircase. I sighed, and began to climb again.

**~Yeah, so, that was the sixth chapter :) Let me know how it was? I'm going to have one more chapter, and that'll probably be the last. Then, I may or may not do a sequel. Depending on how many people take the time to review. *Hint, hint. ;)*~**


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